WAGERING GAME SERVER AVAILABILITY BROADCAST MESSAGE SYSTEM

• US 20100029375A1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Buchholz, Dale R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,360,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements

Abstract

A computerized wagering game system includes a gaming module operable to conduct a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered, and a network module operable to detect a wagering game network server availability broadcast signal. The network module connects to the wagering game network server identified in the availability broadcast signal, and authenticates the identity of the wagering game network server.

Claims

1. A computerized wagering game system, comprising:

a gaming module operable to present a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered; and

a network module operable to detect a wagering game network server availability broadcast signal.

2. The computerized wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the network module is further operable to connect to the wagering game network server identified in the availability broadcast signal.

3. The computerized wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the network module is further operable to recognize whether the wagering game network server availability signal is from an authentic wagering game network server, and to add the wagering game network server to a wagering game network server list if it is authentic.

4. The computerized wagering game system of claim 3, wherein recognizing whether the wagering game network server availability signal is from an authentic wagering game network server comprises evaluating at least one of a digital signature and an authentication certificate from the wagering game network server.

5. The computerized wagering game system of claim 1, wherein the wagering game system is operable to communicate at least one of accounting information, wagering game content information, community game information, and game presentation software over the network with the wagering game network server.

6. A method of operating a computerized wagering game system, comprising:

presenting a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered; and

detecting a wagering game network server availability broadcast signal.

7. The method of operating a computerized wagering game system of claim 6, further comprising connecting to the wagering game network server identified in the availability broadcast signal.

8. The method of operating a computerized wagering game system of claim 6, further comprising recognizing whether the wagering game network server availability signal is from an authentic wagering game network server, and adding the wagering game network server to a wagering game network server list if it is authentic.

9. The method of operating a computerized wagering game system of claim 8, wherein recognizing whether the wagering game network server availability signal is from an authentic wagering game network server comprises evaluating at least one of a digital signature and an authentication certificate from the wagering game network server.

10. The method of operating a computerized wagering game system of claim 6, further comprising communicating at least one of accounting information, wagering game content information, community game information, and game presentation software over the network with the wagering game network server.

11. A machine-readable medium with instructions stored thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a computerized wagering game machine to:

present a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered; and

detect a wagering game network server availability broadcast signal.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, the instructions further operable when executed to cause the computerized wagering game system to connect to the wagering game network server identified in the availability broadcast signal.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, the instructions further operable when executed to cause the computerized wagering game system to recognize whether the wagering game network server availability signal is from an authentic wagering game network server, and adding the wagering game network server to a wagering game network server list if it is authentic.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein recognizing whether the wagering game network server availability signal is from an authentic wagering game network server comprises evaluating at least one of a digital signature and an authentication certificate from the wagering game network server.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, the instructions further operable when executed to cause the computerized wagering game system to communicate at least one of accounting information, wagering game content information, community game information, and game presentation software over the network with the wagering game network server.

16. A wagering game network server, comprising:

a network module operable to broadcast a wagering game network server availability message over a network.

17. The wagering game network server of claim 16, the network module further operable to communicate with a wagering game system responding to the broadcast availability message.

18. A method of operating a wagering game network server, comprising broadcasting a wagering game network server availability message over a network.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising communicating with a wagering game system responding to the broadcast availability message.

20. A wagering game system, comprising:

a wagering game network server operable to identify itself by sending a wagering game network server availability broadcast signal over a network; and

a wagering game system operable to present a wagering game upon which monetary value can be wagered and operable to detect the wagering game network server availability broadcast signal over the network.